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Women's Basketball Season Recap

2012-13 Season Review: Don’t let records fool you. The 2012-13 women’s basketball team was more competitive and they became “the program” opposing teams did not want to face late in the season. With a split roster of six returners and five first-year players, Rob Peterson and his coaching staff filled holes in the off-season which resulted in the team's ability to challenge for longer periods of time more often in games late in the season.

Amber Grosch, the program’s lone senior, left her mark on the program as a four-year player who battled in the paint and gave it her all with every possession. The Hawks increased their offensive production by seven points per game and gone were the days of 20-point losses. Hilbert grabbed 3 wins (while five additional games were decided by 10-points or less) out of the 25 game slate.

Hilbert opened the first month of the season at 2-4 overall, with an over-time loss in the mix. They hit the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference portion of their schedule in the beginning of December and claimed an AMCC victory over Penn State Altoona after three league losses. The Hawks closed 2012 out with two non-conference losses and held a 3-8 tallie before the holiday. After a two-week break, Hilbert got back to work in early January and forged through 14 AMCC losses.

For the second year in a row, Hilbert raised their points per game average. With a deeper bench, the royal and white averaged 52 points per game, and improved their field goal shooting percentage. The Hawks added 77 additional assists and 23 blocks from one season ago.

Junior Natalie Whitman started all 25 games and led the Hawks in minutes per game (32.4), scoring (340), rebounding (220) while proving to be the most consistent shooter from the floor (.415) and foul line (.699). For her efforts, the junior was named to the AMCC All-Conference Third Team after averaging 13.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg and earned 10 double-doubles her first full year for Hilbert.

Sophomores, Jenah Labuski and Sarah Lorusso were solid contributors to the Hawks this season. Labuski led the squad with 22 blocks and chipped in 7 ppg , 4.3 rpg and also earned one double-double against Mount Aloysius in January. Lorusso again served as the team’s quarterback and found ways to penetrate middle and hang for scores. She led the team with 87 assists and 50 steals while averaging 7.4 ppg and 4.5 rpg.

Grosch came on strong at the end of the season averaging 24-minutes a game in February. Against Pitt-Greensburg Grosch scored a season-high 9 points and in November, she pulled down a season-high 8 boards against D’Youville.

Sophomore Kateland Ball didn’t back down from any challenge this year and averaged 19 minutes a game and dished for second-best 42 assists. Freshman Courtney Coots earned 15 starts and was credited with the team’s second most steals (24) in 20 minutes of playing time. She contributed 6.2 ppg and 3.6 rpg and was the Hawks’ most consistent 3-point shooter (.340).

Sophomores Jenna Crans, Tiara Thomasalong with first-years Lauren Eggleston, Wyann Jackson andErin Smith gave quality minutes when their number was called. Thomas mixed-it up inside and fought for rebounding position while Crans took care of business on the perimeter running the offense. Eggleston handled the ball and improved on her passing as the season progressed while Jackson hovered around the 3-point line looking for the good shot. Smith earned 15 offensive boards and learned to use her body for inside position.

Coach Peterson and his staff will continue to bring in exceptional student-athletes who can balance the athletic and academic demands of a two semester-athlete at Hilbert College. The program will continue to push towards the AMCC Championships and strive for excellence.

Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With nearly 1,100 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college’s engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college’s first graduate programs and new Accelerated Degree Programs geared to adult learners.